Manila: The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) announced the arrest of a South Korean national, Kim Yooshik, a.k.a. Kim Yoosik, who is wanted in his home country for his involvement in an investment scam. The arrest was carried out by the NBI's Organized and Transnational Crimes Division (OTCD) and the Bureau of Immigration-Fugitive Search Unit (BI-FSU) in Malate, Manila.

According to Philippines News Agency, official communication from Consul Yun Wonchang of the South Korean Embassy in Manila identified Kim as a fugitive from justice. A blue notice from the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) revealed that Kim is wanted for fraud in violation of Article 347-(1) of the Criminal Act of Korea. He allegedly defrauded a victim of over KRW 10,000,000 through an investment scam in October 2008.

The Bureau of Immigration's database shows that Kim has active derogatory records under a blacklist order dated June 22, 2023, and a watchlist order issued on April 5, 2023, for being a fugitive from justice. The NBI's criminal records indicate that Kim has an outstanding warrant for estafa and was previously charged with several other offenses, including falsification of public documents and human trafficking.

Kim is currently detained at the NBI-OTCD office for investigation and standard booking procedures. He will eventually be turned over to the custody of the BI-FSU.

In a separate incident, the NBI-OTCD reported the arrest of siblings Wyeth and Leila Navalles in Guagua, Pampanga, on charges of robbery by extortion. The complainant, who hired Wyeth, a licensed Customs broker, to handle his importation process, claimed the siblings demanded an additional PHP1.9 million in "grease money" despite an initial agreement of PHP500,000 for the service.

BOC Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio expressed his support for the arrest, noting that it might expose how brokers extort money by falsely claiming the involvement of Bureau of Customs officers. He emphasized the importance of such operations in restoring the agency's reputation and preventing further victimization of honest businesses.

The siblings are set to face charges of robbery with violence or intimidation of persons by way of extortion under the Revised Penal Code, according to the BOC.